To have a fool for a child brings grief;
    there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.

A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

The wicked accept bribes in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.

A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
    but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

Proverbs 17:21-25

These verses can be understood in context by noting the similarity of vv. 21 and 25. Because of this textual feature, we can understand vv. 22-24 as referring to the relationship of parents and children, especially parent pf disappointing children. Perhaps the idea here is that children who are on the edge might find the inspiration they need to come back into line and follow the wisdom of their parents.

V. 21: The behavior of one’s children can greatly affect his own future happiness or sorrow (v. 25; Prov. 1O:l; 19:13). Think of the sorrow that Cain brought to Adam and Eve by killing Abel, that Absalom brought to his father David.

V. 22: Those who have cheerful hearts and bright outlooks upon life have a physical blessing of health that others do not know. On the other hand, nothing has such a direct tendency to ruin health and waste out life as grief, anxiety, fretfulness, bad tempers. (See also: Prov. 12:25; 15:13,15)

V. 23: If it is a wicked man that accepts a bribe to pervert justice, then it must also be wicked to offer such a bribe.

V. 24: The contrast between the fool and the one with understanding in this verse is that the fool’s eyes are a long way off, but the wise man sees wisdom right where he is. The fool misses the opportunities at hand and is always supposing that somewhere else, something else, is really better. As he gazes far off looking for the elusive better opportunity, the wise man snaps up the one right under the fool’s nose.

V. 25: V. 21 spoke of the sorrow that ti fool brings to his father. This verse speaks of the grief and bitterness he brings to both his parents. It is a tragedy when a son brings “grief” instead of joy to his father, and when he brings “bitterness” instead of satisfaction to his mother. But children must be reared and trained, not merely begotten and born. Similar passages: Prov. 1O:l; 15:20; 19:13.